California Kids Wait Months or Years for Specialty Care. Here’s What Would Help

California has a severe shortage of pediatric specialist doctors. The state has only one pediatric medical toxicologist for all 8.7 million children in California, for example, and one child abuse specialist for every 258,000 children.

The shortfall puts medically fragile children at risk for worsening health and missed opportunities for life-changing treatment and support. Many families wait months — and in some cases a year or more — to get appointments.

How to Protect Your Community From the Toxic Lead Lurking in Soil

While the threat of lead exposure via paint and water is well documented, soils aren’t systematically tested and mapped to prevent exposure to this invisible neurotoxin.

Journalists have created a toolkit to help fill these information gaps and arm community members with the skills needed to do their own testing and analysis.

Opinion: The Cost of Medical Care is Unaffordable for California’s Most Vulnerable. We Need Policy Change

Millions of Californians feel they can’t afford to address their health needs, whether through medication, doctor’s visits or insurance coverage.

California’s new Office of Health Care Affordability recently proposed capping medical spending growth at 3 percent. This would limit how much things like insurance premiums or the cost of medical services could rise every year.

‘She’s Taught Me So Much About What Real Courage Is:’ A Window into the Life of a Family Caring for a Child with Intensive Medical Needs 

California has multiple programs that provide support to children with complex medical needs and disabilities. But accessing and making use of these programs is a minefield for many families.

Vivian Vasquez and John Hernandez discovered that for themselves after their daughter, Claire, was born with a rare genetic disorder.

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